Eyes of Gold
by Oliverstarkid
Summary: Heartbroken, Kurt just wants to move on and get rid of the memories of the past. Will he find new love to mend his heart or does love only happen once? Content Warning: weird!Blaine and all New Directions members attend Dalton/Daliah Academy.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_You never fall in love twice. Once it's broken, it can be fixed, but the cracks will still be there. You move on with your simple life like nothing ever happened. You drift in the background while love is in the air, the blissful ignorance which you cannot seem to inhale anymore. You smile to hide the memories, laugh to hide the tears. _

* * *

><p>"Kurt Hummel."<p>

A deep, harsh voice shocked my mind, as my limp body shook back and forth. I lifted my face from my folded arms on the table, opening my weary eyes. I was reminded of the classroom that I was meant to be in. The cold stung my cheeks.

I scanned the room to determine what woke me from my rest. The wide room was decently furnished with gold and royal blue, giving it a prestigious and high-classed appearance. Victorian parlour chairs neatly tucked underneath their matching set of polished tables. Metal filing cabinets surrounded the teacher's desk, which is neatly organised. The windows slowly frosting as seconds passed. This environment looks nothing like an ordinary classroom. It looks like a study room of a well-endowed mansion. I found myself sitting in Mr. Karofsky's room, a well-respected teacher in Dalton Academy who has taken a dislike to me after my recent incident with his son, Dave, who has moved out of the school, escaping the wild.

"I asked for an explanation. You refused to answer my questions, so I asked you to write it down. Why is it such a challenge?"

His piercing willow green eyes did not last any longer than a second on me until he quickly diverted his attention back to his unmarked essays. In fact, he avoided looking at me, like he'll turn into stone if he ever made the slight mistake of dropping his gaze on me.

I studied his frustrated body language for a moment, until I gathered that he didn't want me anywhere near him. Short hair combed to the side, his preppy taste in clothing reminded me of how the times when I teased Dave about his choice of rugged clothing. Mr. Karofsky was pale, showing signs of wrinkles and grey hair along both sides of his head. He had a remnant of a toned body in his former days, but he now looks like he's constantly carrying holiday weight. He had a prominent nose too.

I shifted my gaze on the ocean blue sky outside. Serenity and peace soothed my mind as thick white clouds slowly drifted along the empty ocean of air in complete silence. The sky was the most beautiful of all shades of blue, pure and luminous. I wished the last thing I see before the moment I die is to look at this sky one last time.

The agitated teacher shifted in his seat. "You're lucky my son left. It was the best for all of us." His tone of voice sounded reassured. Not to reassure me, but himself. My eyes started to sting.

"This isn't going to go anywhere, Mr. Karofsky. If you'll excuse me, I have more important duties to attend to." I abruptly got out of my chair, my face turned away from him to shadow the tears trying to burst out. Grabbing my brown leather messenger bag perched on the chair stood next to mine, I pushed my chair underneath the table and fled from this meaningless confrontation I was bound to lose from the start.

Students rushed from all directions, giving me a quick scan as they made their way to their next lesson. I gave my inner-self a slap, getting myself back together. I took a deep breath, brushed away invisible dirt from my knitted wool jumper from _Ralph Lauren_ and lurched towards the cafeteria. Avoiding any eye contact, I looked for any sign of a familiar face roaming the corridor.

"Head Boy Kurt!" This title was of great importance to me. It helped me feel like I belong. I'm trusted with major responsibilities in the school. In exchange, I felt so much pressure as judgemental eyes observed my every move.

Warmth enveloped my face as my sight disappeared. Instinctively, I grabbed the gloved hands from my face and swiftly turned around to see chocolate brown eyes and a magnificent white crescent moon greeting me. Finn, who was head-length taller than me, appeared shorter than he should be today, if he stopped slouching. His cheeks reddening from the chilling temperature, it brought colour to his visage of cheerfulness. His short dark chocolate hair was in messy short curls made him look like an 8 year old who recently jumped out of bed and harshly applied gel to his hair because he was late for school. Which is probably the case today for Finn.

"What's up, Finn?" We stood in the middle of a rush-hour, but I didn't care, I was too fixated. Finn had this bright aura about him. He's one of those people you can easily open up to, because he was so approachable. Too bad he didn't apply for Head Boy; Finn would've been a great challenge.

He rubbed his eyes gently. "Yeah I'm good man. Yourself?"

"I just escaped Mr. Karofsky." Escaped wasn't an exaggeration at all.

"Oh, again? Dude, if he's giving you trouble, I'll talk to him for you." He winked. His way of comforting others made me smirk. Finn's compassion for other people made him different from most of the other guys in this school.

Finn isn't from a well-off family. His mother, Carole Hudson, worked as a nurse in the local hospital not too far from here. His father was killed while serving in the Middle East as a US Marine. My dad and Carole recently married, and made me and Finn step-brothers. Finn got accepted into Dalton Academy through scholarship, for his plausible athletic ability and now achieved the position football quarterback here in Dalton. He is constantly in his gym clothes, ready for sport (though we're meant to be in our uniform at all times). It worried me seeing him like this, because I wondered if he also focused on his academic subjects. He's never focused when we privately studied together, which left me no options to bribe him with food to help him concentrate.

"I'm fine. I can handle him myself." Mr. Karofsky has been trying to find ways to give me as much grief as possible for the past few weeks. I haven't told Dave about his father, because I refused to talk to the bastard. The coward he is, I am left on my own in this school to handle everything.

I motioned him to walk on. We seemed to be distracting the corridor with our presence. "Come to the cafeteria with me?"

"Sure, I was headin' there anyways."

I searched my bag for my lucky _Gucci_ wallet, but it was nowhere to be seen. "I forgot my wallet."

He gave my silly situation a sad puppy look. "I'll pay, but it'll have to be just this once, buddy!" He always says that, he's been paying for my lunch every time he gets the chance.

"Are you sure? Thanks, Finn." I beamed my million-dollar smile.

Ever since I met Dave, I have found other people's compassion towards me meaningless. I realised there is no one who has naturally goodwill without expecting a reward or appraisal. No longer do I care for anyone's well-being, but I still keep the innocent mask to remain in this messed-up society.

I jolted as locks of luminous fair hair flew before me, as a beautiful slender girl barged past me to pounce on Finn. She wrapped her fragile arms around his neck as she craned her neck to give Finn a quick peck on the lips. Her flawless youthful skin and soft rosy cheeks made her look like an expensive china doll. They are beautiful people. They also do not suit each other. Quinn Fabray had a very intimidating presence. Finn was warm and inviting, but Quinn much too overpowering. Their characters shone in very different ways.

"Shouldn't you be in class right now, Quinn?" I engaged in conversation to appear friendly.

I disliked Quinn. I didn't like the vibe I received from her.

"Like I need to attend. I believe I have the intelligence to learn everything in advance, Finn." Her feminine tone of voice was mocking.

I studied her uniform, which consisted of a white and royal blue chequered, silk tartan skirt of which she wore just above her knees, in a wholesome manner. Along with white knee-length socks and black buckle shoes. They wore a plain white blouse, with a matching gray/cyan ribbon tie, and her blazer was wool-based, in a light shade of grey, with cyan ribbon trimming; similar in design to Dalton's blazer however their logo was in the matching colour of their cyan trim. What I was most jealous about was that Daliah's girls wore straw-coloured boater hats, with a delicately tied royal blue ribbon which flowed down elegantly down to their shoulders. Their uniform looked devilishly cute. Quinn pulled the colours off very well. It made her silky blonde hair stand out even more.

I strongly believed that girls like her always have something to hide. I remained civil. Not because she's Finn's girlfriend, I see no reason why I'm not allowed to smack her in the face even if she's my brother's girlfriend. Unfortunately, society isn't a free-for-all wrestling ring.

Finn grinned, looked around and behind them, to see if anyone heard what she just said to him.

"Babe, aren't you the Head Girl at Daliah Academy now? Shouldn't you be setting a good example to the students?"

"I am setting a perfect example." She gave him a conceited look.

"Well, you look really pretty today."

Quinn gave him a smile that implied: _"Of course", t_o show him that she is perfectly aware.

"I gotta run babe. I got things to do right now." His eyes were sincere and apologetic.

Finn quickly switched off his short glance at Quinn to look at me, standing here impatiently. He scratched his head and meekly looked down at the floor. I'm mentally stamping my foot. Quinn finally turned to look at me, hazel eyes cold. I don't stand up to that crap from girls, so I gave her a cheerful smile. That's sure to piss her off.

I turned my back to continue marching to the cafeteria. "Come on then Finn. Don't forget to attend my meeting with Headmaster Figgins, Quinn."

"Wait, you're going to buy his food again? That guy has his own money!" I heard footsteps rushing behind me. She's not going to hit me. She wouldn't dare lose her reputation. I felt a tug on the sleeve of my jumper and I turned around to a familiar wide grin.

"Kurt, don't do that again."

"Do what?" I plastered on an innocent face.

"Getting me into trouble with my girlfriend, you cheeky bastard!" Giving me a playful punch on the arm, I belted a laugh and lightly shoved him in the chest.

We ambled into an immense hall of chatter and littered food. The distinct smell of meat pizza and strawberry milkshake filled the room, which is somehow arousing my hunger. I studied the busy room full of people queuing, eating, or loitering. Finn and I were already being approached and greeted by people we have no recollection in meeting before. Phatic communication was a normal occurrence to me. Politely, we slowly ushered into the food court. We were seniors, so we had the authority to be allowed inside without having to queue. It may seem unfair to the younger years as the queue looked like it was a line to go see a newly-released _Broadway_ show, but I'm not complaining.

"What d'you want today then, Kurt?" He picked up a bacon and cheese Panini and studied it.

"Pizza!" That answer did not come from me.

Having not noticed the difference in our voice, he quickly twisted his head to show a surprised look on his face, because he knows I'm not very fond of pizzas, even Dalton's healthy recipes.

"Don't look so dumbfounded. That wasn't me that said that, Finn." I turned around. "What's up Blaine?"

Blaine Anderson is considered as the weird kid around here. He's socially awkward. Everyone condemned him as a complete basket-case. He's most popular in the dining hall for his eccentric choices of food. Once, he had a sandwich which he carefully applied breakfast cereal into and a generous amount of sugar as its filling. Blaine didn't care what impression he gave others about him, which is what I admired about Blaine the most. Along with his reputation, he did not care what he looked like. His white shirt was creased and un-tucked while his Dalton Blazer appeared to be falling apart at the seams. His grey school pants were splattered with mud and his leather shoes looked cheap, worn-out from overuse. I've spoken to him before about his attire, but I guess he didn't listen, looking at the current state of his clothes.

He stared at me for a short moment, not saying anything. "I'm okay."

I gave him a friendly smile and elbowed Finn in the rib, as he covered his mouth with a gloved hand, trying not to laugh at Blaine, secretly performing mocking gestures behind the poor guy. I hated seeing him being ridiculed like this. However, as always he was oblivious to the things people say about him. Either that or he's very good at brushing things off his shoulder.

Blaine returned a small smile, stared at me once more, until he whirled around and wandered away. He looked so fragile. His short, curly hair was unruly, matching his set of thick black eyebrows. His soft golden eyes always looked like they were elsewhere, in his own little world. The feature of Blaine I like the most is his height. He's freakishly small. It's kind of cute.

"Weird guy." Finn said, under his breath.

Finn handed me a heated bacon and cheese Panini as he paid the middle-aged woman working on the till. I beamed a warm smile at her, which she was surprised to see, judging from her reaction. No one around here ever takes notice of the hard work these adults put into feeding us.

I took a big mouthful of my free meal and muffled out to Finn on how Blaine's a cool guy and everyone should give him some respect and leave him alone.

"Sorry, Mr. Nice Guy!" He said in a sarcastic but playful manner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_I writhed in bed, unable to sleep._

_He tried to speak to me again, earlier today walking home from school. He sent me text messages about how well he's doing, how he's found a guy he liked but that person was in love with someone else. He asked how Head Boy was coming along for me. He asked if I was okay. I never replied. I never responded. _

_I can't think. Having physically worn my body out from all the hard work I accomplish at school, I come home to be haunted by my past. The same old routine every single day, slowly wearing me away. I turned on my iPod and listened. I open my eyes to the dim glowing stars that spread across my pitch-black ceiling. I don't know what to do anymore._

* * *

><p>I finally reached the pleasant warmth that was trapped indoors. I shook off the sharp chill numbing my body as I stomped up to the upstairs gym of the North sports hall. Dalton Academy highly encouraged good physical health in every one of their students, so nearly every sport was available in either the school curriculum or as clubs. A subject or extra-curricular classes that offered exercise is compulsory in both Dalton and Daliah Academy.<p>

The bottom floor was a building solely concentrating on indoor activities such as basketball and badminton. Coach Sylvester's rants and insults could be heard from where I was stood outside the sports hall, whilst cheerleaders were heard every now and again as a ball smacked continuously on the wooden flooring which echoed throughout the hall. Upstairs were the gym and classrooms where students used equipment to test out their field theories and finished paperwork.

Placing my duffel bag in a locker, I heard someone mutter behind me. I twisted my head, to see Blaine stood staring at me with a poker face, arms-width away. I flinched. He wore his white vest which showed off his developing shoulder and pecs, short gym shorts (and when I say short, I mean SHORT) and his usual worn-out sneakers, along with a purple hoodie to keep him warm before we head into the gym. His curly hair looked damp.

"I come in peace." Was that a movie quote?

"Crap. Hey, Blaine. Ready for the gym?" I quickly took out my towel and a water bottle from the bag and gently shut the locker.

He looked down at the floor. "Mhmm."

Blaine has never approached me before, so I'm currently recovering from shock. He started to creep towards the gym, his eyes tired and drooping. I'm very curious about Blaine. I never see him talk to anyone apart from Wes, who attends the same Film Studies club which they run together. I always see them exchanging movie ideas or criticising a movie.

I strolled towards the two treadmill machines, to warm up my body for the weight-lifting later on. As usual, Blaine sped to the treadmill next to mine, before anyone else got to it. He jumped on, and started to press on the touch-screen monitor, as someone immediately stood behind him. Blaine took no notice of a well-built boy, breathing down his neck. The guy's hair was styled in a short Mohican. Puck. Everything about his face screamed 'badboy', the strong jaw-line and defined cheekbones made him look very masculine. He wore a thin black shirt which clung tightly on his toned torso. The faded grey tracksuit bottoms were tight around his narrow hips, which accented his toned ass that curved outwards beautifully as his muscular back ends.

I'm sorry, but it's just out there for everyone to gawk over. This was Noah Puckerman - a famous badass-slash-manwhore in Dalton Academy. _Steer clear of this guy, Kurt._ _This guy's nothing but trouble._

Puck looked at me from the corner of his eye and winked. I rolled my eyes at him. Puck altered his gaze back to Blaine. "Hey, weird kid."

Puck was always trying to find a way to tease him, but Blaine didn't acknowledge his presence at all. He remained stationed on his treadmill, busy entering his weight in kilograms and which exercise program he wanted to take with a face of pure concentration. I don't think he's even aware that Puckerman was only centimetres behind him.

Puck scowled as he realised his presence was ignored, which hardly ever happened. He placed his hands on Blaine's hips as an attempt to earn his attention. Blaine's face shot straight up with a surprised look. A giggle erupted from Puck's wide grin.

"Are you going to get off my machine or would you like us to stay like this?" His hands remained where they were, as Blaine struggled to pry them off, laughing.

"Puck, get off him. Now." I stepped off the cross-trainer to show that I'm dead serious. Blaine deserved none of this nonsense. I was stopped dead on my track as I saw his hands fly from their grip as Blaine jabbed his elbow Puck right on his solar plexus, causing him stagger backwards and breathless. He looked at Blaine with fierce rage, who sheepishly looked worried. Fear was present in those innocent golden eyes of his as Puck started to regain his breath and began motioning forwards, to retaliate to the violent action. I jumped onto the treadmill in front of Blaine to shield him from any physical harm.

"Don't even think about it, Puck. Chill out. Just walk away."

I focused my mellow glare, hoping to calm Puck. His gray eyes stared right through me. He didn't appear to be angry anymore. Puck looked horrified, realising what he was just thinking of doing. Sadness appeared in his blank eyes. He regained his proud posture and stomped over the weights rack, picking up 5kg dumbbells and began to furiously lift the massive-looking weights.

I took a silent exhale. "As you were, Blaine."

I climbed back on my machine but Blaine grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and pulled me to an embrace.

"Umm, it's no problem, Blaine! No need to be so thankful!" I barked.

He was almost in tears. His damp tender skin pressed hard against mine. A faint scent of cool deodorant wafted into my nose as Blaine tightened his arms around my chest, his curls burying into my neck, tickling me slightly. However touching this may be, I really need to get back to my morning exercise. I have this really bad fear of becoming fat. Yeah, I know. Maybe it was because I used to be overweight. Don't judge me.

I removed the clamped arms from my body and smiled at him, who still looked frightened as ever. His eyes, the glory of his golden eyes shone. Blaine was beautiful.

"Why were you so frightened? He's only an attention whore. He's not going to do anything to you." I think I said that in a tone too scolding.

Knees bent, I stooped my head down so we were on the same eye-level. He averted his gaze to the ground, avoiding my question.

"It's okay Blaine."

I didn't want to pressure him into answering me, so I patted him lightly on the shoulder and climbed back on the cross-trainer. He remained where he stood, never removing his intent stare to the cement floor. After a few long seconds, Blaine crept back onto his treadmill and started jogging. I studied him using the glass window in front of us, which gave a faint reflection of the large gym. He focused on the boy jogging next to him, as if there was nothing else to look at. Blaine looked like a movie star. If it weren't for his social awkwardness, he'd probably be surrounded by girls from Daliah. Oblivious bastard, I smiled to myself.

"So Blaine. How's things?"

I tried breaking the ice. That awkward hug just made things really uneasy for me.

"Huh?" Panting, he turned to my direction as his head bobbed up and down as he jogged.

"How is Blaine, what's been going on in his life lately? Kurt said he wants to know." My face steamed, as I realised that what I just said sounded stupid.

Blaine turned to face the glass window in front of him once again, emotionless. The silence continued for another minute, until he voiced the answer to my question.

He shifted his head and looked me straight in the eye. "I'm horny."

I looked away instantly without thinking. I could feel my face flushing red. I really wish I didn't ask.

What the hell am I supposed to say? "_Good for you!" _Oh god. The longer I didn't reply to him, the more uncomfortable it got. Even if it's just been a few nanoseconds. He remained looking at me as he jogged, clearly anticipated for a reply.

"Uhh-"

"I could help with that." Puck returned, without his weights. (They're dumped on the floor near the weight racks.) He leaned on the side-handle bar of the running treadmill with one arm, his pretty face oozing with charm.

"Really? That would be really great, thanks!" Blaine beamed an angelic smile.

"Wait, what?" My face lit up in raw surprise. He has the innocence of a five-year-old.

"Maybe we could talk it over after-school today; you're not doing anything right?" He winked.

Blaine shook his head like a puppy. I don't think Puck has realised that Blaine didn't answer to his offer in the same concept he had in mind. Well, at least their conflict is resolved, but this doesn't let Puck off the hook about earlier.

"Puck, leave him alone. This isn't funny."

"Jealous, Head Boy?" My face steamed. My stomach twisted, unsure how to cope with this situation. Anger roared in my throat.

"You misunderstood Blaine. He was just kidding, right Blaine?" I turned to face him.

Blaine kept his pace on the machine, while he shifted his gaze interlocked with mine. Sunlight poured into the room, turning the room from white to dazzling orange. Light from the rising sun shone against Blaine's skin. Sweat slowly trickled as his body bounced in a slow beat, as his flawless skin glowed. He smiled.

"Woah, shit!" I lost my footing, and face-planted the moving conveyor belt. The treadmill too fast for the pace I was at. I closed my eyes as voices and laughter became muffling noises, until they were only but an echo in my ears.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hummel. How can you make me feel like this?" <em>

_His lips locked against mine, as his gentle curious hands explored my body. His touch burned against my cold flesh as his fingers started to creep under my shirt, caressing my curved back. I twisted my face away, panting slowly, searching for air._

"_I'll kill you."_

_My head spun as he pressed his soft wet lips against mine. He waited patiently until I opened my mouth slightly, his tongue impatient to meet mine. I grabbed his letterman jacket and pulled him closer, tighter._

* * *

><p>I shook awake. My eyes darted open as my heart pounded against my ribs. I found myself sprawled across a soft, silky bed. Warmth wrapped my open palm.<p>

"Dave?" I croaked.

"Excuse me?"

The high, fast-paced reply thundered in my ear. I quickly turned my attention to Rachel, sat comfortably on a cream leather armchair. Tina stood by her side, with the same confused look on Rachel's face.

"_Dayumn,_ did I totally just face-plant a moving treadmill?"

Laughter bursted out of Rachel and Tina, as I project my infamous glare.

"I can't feel my face."

Suddenly, my face portrayed pure horror, as I remembered something very important.

"Guys, please don't tell me I've broken my nose?" I don't want to skulk around Dalton with a bandaged nose, especially when I've got all eyes on me.

"The surgeon tried the best she could, Kurt. We're very sorry..."

Finn slid his head through the door to inform me of the bad news. Tina and Rachel's laughter immediately stopped, replaced with a worried expression.

"...What?"

"Would you like a mirror?"

Rachel scavenged for a mirror in her handbag and placed it in my hands. She squeezed my hands slightly before letting go to allow me speculate the damage on my face.

I can't do it. What if it's very bad? The treadmill was running at a very fast speed so the impact may have been severe. Please let this be just some sick joke, so I can scold them for being so melodramatic.

Finn winced quietly as the door smacked his back. A small figure poked through the door and strode towards my bed.

"Oh there you are... I've been looking for you forever."

Blaine smiled as my eyes met his, dropping a bright red plastic lunchbox on my bed, almost hitting my thigh. _Power Rangers_ and explosions. Rachel eyed his accessory and sneered, shaking her head at his presence.

"Are you lost?"

Rachel reached a patronising hand towards Blaine's shoulder, but retracted it immediately before making contact. Ignoring her attempt at being friendly, I gestured him to take a seat on the bed.

"Hey, thank you for visiting me! Come take a seat."

He awkwardly followed my order and stared at me, eyes trailing in all directions of my face with a very concerned look on his face. Oh god, it really is that bad. Remembering I had a mirror in my hand, I lifted my arm and slowly directed it to check the damage.

"_RACHEL IS AMAZING."_ "_I LOVE TINA."_ and a vague illustration of a man's genitalia was boldly drawn on my face. I screamed.

"CLEAN THIS OFF NOW!"

Laughter roared around the room as I ranted orders to remove the indecency written on my face. They quickly grabbed their bags from an oak coffee table opposite my bed and fled from the room.

Bastards.

Blaine held me a cloth drenched in water from his bottle of water and slapped it on my face like a high-five. "It's clean."

"-mmh. Thanks Blaine." It was cold.

I let him scrub away the graffiti as I asked about what happened after I passed out in the gym. Apparently, Puck carried me into the medical department as soon as possible and left me for dead outside the reception. Typical.

"What, he just dropped me there? Did people see?"

Blaine shook his head.

"Did he talk to you after he brought me here?"

Again, he shook his head.

"What happened to you after I was swept away?" I cringed to the thought of Puck sweeping me away like a damsel in distress.

"You're blushing." He mentioned in a plain tone.

"Please don't change the subject, Blaine."

I don't even like Puck! I have no clue why my face has started to get flustered.

"I told your friends you died." Blaine is either very good at keeping a poker face, or he was deadly serious. Maybe this is his kind of humour.

Without a change of mood, he eagerly continued to wipe his damp cloth against my skin, pure concentration written all over his face.

"At least you told them."

He nodded and offered me his lunchbox. He slowly pushed it onto my lap as I strained to sit up, staring at me like a puppy offering me a stick so we can play together. My stomach grumbled.

"Do you like peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, Mr. Kurt?"

Mr. Kurt? I chortled.

"I'd like a bacon sandwich, thanks."

"No - peanut butter and bacon - together." He unveiled the foil wrapping and released a pleasant fragrance of salted bacon and sweet peanut butter. So this is the type of legendary eccentric meals he eats that people talk about.

Openly, I lightly took the sandwich from his hand and carefully took a generous bite. My eyes widened. The taste of peanut butter flooded my mouth. Then a sharp taste of meat and salt moulded with the sweetness and somehow complimented it. The bread contained sesame seeds, adding an extra crunch under the force of my jaw, as I chewed. This is great.

"Woah, did you make this Blaine?" I'm so hungry that I took large, fast bites, ignoring my own etiquette and mannerisms.

He smiled weakly and threw the cloth over his shoulder, which created a wet smacking sound against the wooden flooring. He stuck out the tip of his tongue as he concentrated as opened a Tupperware of sliced apples and sprinkled a sachet of salt on top. I watched him intently as he gracefully combined different organic items together.

I munched the last bites of the sandwich as he engulfed a few slices of an apple in one, which appeared to be the size of his whole mouth. I watched his jaw move in a large upwards and downwards motion as he tried to mash the fruit, spilling a bit of apple juice from his lips.

"Here." I took one corner of the silk bed sheet and leaned forwards to wipe his mouth. Suddenly, right before the cloth made contact with his lips; his head swerved away, spilling more apple juice. Blaine, shocked, attentively grabbed his bag and ran to the door, chewing whatever that was left in his mouth furiously. He seemed upset. Did I do something wrong?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_My body slammed against a locker. Pain surged through my spine, as a pair of possessive hands grabbed the cloth resting on my shoulders and pulled me back up. My lips trembled, unable to make a sound. _

_I don't want to cry, not right now. Tears trickled down my cheeks, my eyes unable to look at anything but the floor. Dave loosened his death grip on my jacket and wrapped his caressing arms around my torso, slowly resting his head on my shoulder. I resisted, using my arms as a barrier to keep some distance, but he's too strong._

"_I'm so sorry, Kurt. I- I'm so goddamn sorry. Please, I-... Please forgive me." _

_His gray eyes searched for any sign of forgiveness in me. He frowned. Dave held the back of my head and rested my head against his shoulder, trying to comfort me._

"_Kurt." His voiced cracked._

_His lips aggressively pressed against my whimpering mouth, pushing me harder against the locker with force, the back of my head hitting the locker once more. I pushed him away with all my strength until he gave in and took a step back. My hand shook as it covered my lips. Tears started to pour down Dave's face, slamming a fist against the locker merely inches away from my face, and left the empty locker room._

_How could I have been so stupid? _

_I felt series of vibrations against my leg and pulled out my phone. Rachel. I declined the call and dropped the phone into my satchel. I wiped the tears with a handkerchief and ventured into the academy's hallways. _

_Students greeted me as I walked past them –putting on a warm smile to return the greeting. I weakly reached for my locker and entered the combination. My mind was forced into a state of blankness. I don't know how long I've stood staring into the never-ending void of books. The class bell eventually rang into my ears, reviving me from my trance. _

_I sat. Every sound in the room became muffled. I turned to look outside. The sky was cloudless – just a sea of blue. Outside the classroom window was a play park, where mothers watched their children play. The view was serene and peaceful. A large labrador sprinted across the bright grass and retrieved a ball, trotting back to his owner. I studied the boy, his features were blurred as my eyesight couldn't reach him, but I could see that his hair was loose and curly, with a large grin spread across his face as the dog ran back to him. _

_Mr. Karofsky firmly tapped my shoulder. _

"_Mr. Hummel." _

_Everyone in class turned to look at me._

"_Oh, sorry." I briefly looked at Mr Karofsky, his expression impatient, before dropping my gaze down to my books._

"_I'm waiting for an answer, Kurt. Have you been paying any attention at all?"_

"_Of course, Mr. Karofsky." Eyes diverted back to Mr. Karofsky, eager for my reply, before quickly reading the information written on the blackboard, wishing I find what I needed._

"_There are four classes of emotional reactions." I hesitantly answered._

"_Yes, but I asked if you can name them, not repeat what I just said." His gray eyes narrowed, in suspicion of my inattentiveness._

"_Uhh- Fear, anger, grief and..." My eyes frantically searched the blackboard, but the fourth answer was nowhere to be seen. The class was dead silent. _

"_Love, Mr. Hummel." He turned around and continued talking about psychological reactions in emotions._

_Mr. Karofsky had no resemblance to Dave whatsoever, apart from their shared piercing gray eyes. My consciousness rewound. My heart pounded hard to the memory of his touch. I felt betrayed. I felt alone once again._

_The class bell rang to conclude the class. I leapt from my seat,_ _grabbing my brown leather messenger bag perched on the chair stood next to mine, and pushed my chair underneath the table and fled. Reaching my locker, I had a weird feeling something was different and out of place. I entered the combination with precise speed and opened it. _

_There was a note, folded into a little square. I reached and slowly opened the paper._

"_COURAGE."_

_It was written in beautiful calligraphy, carrying grace and passion in each small stroke. I smiled._

* * *

><p>I jolted awake. My fingers reached for my lips, remembering his touch. More memories flashed in my mind, I sobbed.<p>

"Mmh- dude, you okay?"

Finn rolled off his bed, landed on all-fours and crawled to my bed. He knelt beside me and placed his arms on the mattress, his head resting on his muscular arms.

"Yes. I'm fine, Finn. Go back to bed." I whispered as I discreetly wiped the tears.

"You were crying in your sleep earlier. Kept me up..." He yawned.

Finn didn't lift his head from his position and murmured about how girls from Daliah academy have recently spent their lunch breaks in Dalton with the guys. I don't really care about what he's blabbing about, but if it can help me take my mind off the nightmare, I might as well participate.

"Girls? You mean Rachel."

"Huh, no?" He softly growled.

"Finn, it's pretty obvious you like her. I see the way you look at her. How you smile at all the nonsense that comes out of her mouth, and that's a lot of smiling." Finn is just one confused guy.

"You think so?" The visible corner of his lips turned up.

Minutes later, Finn started to snore. No longer able to sleep, my eyes have become wide awake from the dampness of the tears. I incessantly got up, and sluggishly dragged Finn downstairs. Finn is so freakin' heavy. I didn't want to journey downstairs alone, not that I have a fear of the dark or anything like that – I just don't want to end up sitting around the house by myself.

"Come on, Finn wake up! I'll make you pancakes." I whispered, careful of not waking the parents up.

In an instant, Finn pulled away and lurked towards the dining table with eagerness. The kitchen was lit in a hue of blue; the light from the moon illuminated the room. Finn sat down and tilted his head backwards as he rubbed his eyes. Huffing, I searched the fridge and collected the ingredients and got going.

"Quinn and Puck are coming over later, by the way."

Oh great, unwanted company.

"Looks like I'll be going shopping later then."

"You're not gonna hang with us? We're going to be watching movies."

I poured the mix into the waffle-making machine and set the table. Finn watched me do the chores as he sat at the dining table, waiting for his breakfast like a little boy.

"Wouldn't that be too boring for Puck? I mean, he's quite an adventurous guy; he'd want to do something exciting and blood-pumping, like robbing a bank." Finn shot me a disapproving look.

He got up using all his strength to search the fridge, and opened a carton of milk and gulped.

"I thought it was pretty cool if he started hanging out with you, because I thought it might make him a nicer guy like you."

"The world doesn't work that way, Finn. Also, use a glass, that's why our parents bought them."

I piled golden-brown waffles on plates and handed one with the bigger pile to Finn and sat down beside him as we quietly ate. From the corner of my peripheral vision, I witnessed him pour tons of honey over his breakfast.

"Puck's a cool guy when he wants to be. I think you'll get along when he's in his 'nice mood'."

"No thank you."

Why would Puck want to spend time with me anyway? We had nothing in common.

* * *

><p>I loved the atmosphere in shopping malls. It smelt clean, with a mixture of a collection of different scents coming from the many stores. Thirsty for coffee, I subconsciously drifted into a coffee shop called Lima Bean. The earthly scent tickled my senses and the cafe wasn't too crowded, great for daydreaming. This coffee shop was perfect.<p>

I walked over to the bar and asked for my usual grande non-fat mocha. I sat on an empty table in the middle of the cafe and sipped my coffee, checking my iPhone to see if there were any updates on numerous social networking sites.

"Hello Starshine, the earth says hello!" A voice rang behind me.

I quickly turned my head and mentally flinched to see Blaine stood awkwardly close to me. He was tightly gripping onto the shoulder straps of his backpack. His head drooped down, staring at the floor, causing his short curls to loosely dangle in the air. He wore a faded Star Wars shirt of Darth Vader beneath a thick, homemade wool cardigan and navy slim-cut chinos that looked like they've been through hell and back again. He still looked like a mess outside of school, but it was nice seeing Blaine out of his tattered Dalton uniform.

"Blaine! Hello, fancy seeing you here."

Not removing his grip from his backpack, he claimed the seat opposite mine. My smile didn't fade as he looked down to the table, his eyes only quickly glancing upwards to check as if I was still there, but to only look back down again.

"Are you uhh - going shopping?" I had to start the conversation; it felt like Blaine was going to attempt in conversation at all.

"No. Just walking." He answered.

I took a loud sip from my mocha. Well, this is awkward.

"Oh! You left your lunchbox on my bed yesterday. I took it home with me because you didn't come back to the infirmary room before I had to leave." I remembered Dad raising an eyebrow at the rather eccentric lunchbox as I placed it on the kitchen counter when I got home from Dalton that day. I had to explain to him that it belonged to a friend of mine's and not some kid I viciously mugged.

"Oh, goodie. Thank you, Mr. Kurt." That's never going to stop, is it?

"It's alright. I'll return it to you on Monday."

Silence chilled the air between us. Blaine looked around the coffee shop, studying its features, looking quite interested.

"Would you like some coffee?" I asked.

His derived attention turned to my cup of caffeine for a moment, before answering with a nod. I led him over to the counter and pointed at the menu board. Blaine looked up and his eyes became absorbed by the list of possibilities. He looked so innocent. His hands were both beside his chest as his bag was stuck firmly against his back; his grip still didn't leave the straps while he stood smiling to himself at the board.

"I'll have 2 medium drips."

"Gotcha. Can he have two medium drips?"

The coffee clerk nodded as she took the order and started to work on the coffee machine. As we stood waiting for his coffee, I realised how close Blaine was stood next to me because heat radiated from his wool cardigan.

"So Blaine, how's life?"

Then it struck me. Shit. The last time I asked that question, things got real uncomfortable. My face scorched now. Is it getting hot in here?

"I'm..."

My eyes widened.

"Hungry." Blaine placed his hand on his stomach and stroked it in a slow, circular motion.

Oh. Laughter erupted in my head as I looked towards the food section below the counter. Blaine's hungry stare scanned the warm snacks in display as if they were precious jewels.

"Food is pretty cheap here. Not bad, either. What would you like? It's on me today." I smiled.

He immediately pointed at the bacon and cheese Panini and looked at me like a little girl pleading for a pony. Blaine's eyes sparkled under the spotlight of the cafe. The golden glimmer of his irises almost made my knees buckle. I became mesmerised for a moment, my thoughts lost in a field of gold.

I smiled and asked for the clerk for two Panini's.

"Here you are. Enjoy!" The clerk smiled as she placed our order on the counter, glancing between us back and forth and blushed.

We took our order and returned to our table. He unveiled his Panini and quickly started to eat without hesitation. This guy was definitely hungry. He took around 3 bites at a time, filling his mouth with bread and bacon until his cheeks puffed. Giggling, I nibbled into mine. I guess he really likes it.

"Taste good?"

He nodded with enthusiasm.

"Yes, it's –"

He slowly chewed the bread remaining in his mouth and swallowed.

"Very tasty. You were smiling when I saw you eat it in the cafeteria with the _Big Friendly Giant_, so it must taste good."

He took another bite and smiled as he munched away.

If it was Finn he used the reference for, I don't know whether he was insulting him, or that was just how Blaine remembered Finn. This specific Panini didn't taste as delicious as Dalton's, but Blaine seemed to be content.

My phone rang in my pocket. I hummed the tone as I dig into my pocket to answer it.

"_**Hey, bro. Puck's having a house party tonight at 6pm, wanna come?"**_Finn whispered over the phone as I could hear a car crashing and explosions in the background.

"Sure, why not. Who's going?"

"_**People we know."**_I looked at Blaine, devouring his food in a meticulous manner, scrutinising the bread after each bite, planning on where to place his next attack.

"Perfectly vague, Finn thanks. Mind if I bring a friend?"

"_**Puck! Is it okay if Kurt brings someone?" **_I heard someone grunting in the background, muttering something about people stealing other people's drinks.

"_**He says it's cool. Do you know where Puck lives or do you want us to pick you and your friend up?" **_

"Yep, it's fine. We'll make our own way. See you there." I hung up the phone.

Blaine no longer had his Panini in his hand, only chewing a mouthful of food as he stared straight me, his head cocked to the side slightly, looking confused.

"Have you got any plans tonight, Blaine?" I crossed my fingers under the table. I really do hope I can get to know Blaine more. He seems to be a lonely guy, and I'm a sucker for mysterious characters.

He shook his head.

"Great! Wanna come to a party? It'll be fun!"

His gaze dropped down to the table, with a hint of sadness in his eyes. Does he not like being around too many people?

"Okay."

"You'll have a great time. I promise." I looked at my watch. "Well, we've got hours to burn, let's get you an outfit!"

His head shot up, his eyes shocked and frightened as I clasped my hands together and grinned.


End file.
